6 October 2024 –Tahiti – Niue- Day 6

Before I start I have another need. Someone now cannot make the New Zealand to Sydney leg in early January 2025 so I need ideally a sixth person. You would have to be in Auckland, New Zealand by about 3/4 January 2025 with a view to us leaving for Sydney, weather permitting, by about 7 January 2025. We should get to Sydney by about 14-16 January 2025. If anyone is interested please email me at hine.nick9@gmail.com  Thanks.

We continued on our Northwest course during the evening and into the night. When Sean and I came on at 2.00am we had passed Palmerston Island and thought that now was a good time to gybe (put the stern of the boat through the wind so the sails are on the other side). We turned on deck light 2 so we could see better, pulled in the main to the center and then put the preventer line (to stop the boom swinging over) on the other side. We then brought in the genoa and turned the boat through the wind so the boom was on the other side and then we released it out again and adjusted the preventer. We then brought out the genoa on the other side and then we were heading again directly toward Niue. There was about 488 nm to go.

We sailed well and fast and the waves were not too bad. We were making either 8, 7 or 9 kts each hour. When the light came it was a pleasant sunny day and there were a few high-pressure clouds. We sat and chatted in the cockpit and had breakfast of fruits and cereal. Some read, others slept and the morning passed quite well. Our 24-hour run was 186 nm which was good and is an average of 7.75 lts each hour over 24 hours and is the best on this passage from Tahiti.

We are excited to be getting nearer and we all look forward to getting to Niue.

Niue is a self-governing island country in free association with New Zealand. It is situated in the South Pacific Ocean and is part of Polynesia, and predominantly inhabited by Polynesians. The island is commonly referred to as "The Rock", which comes from the traditional name "Rock of Polynesia".

Niue's position is inside a triangle drawn between Tonga, Samoa, and the Cook Islands. It is 2,400 kilometres (1,500 mi) northeast of New Zealand, and 604 kilometres (375 mi) northeast of Tonga. Niue's land area is about 261.46 square kilometres (100.95 sq mi) and its population was 1,689 at the Census in 2022. Niue is one of the world's largest coral islands. The terrain of the island has two noticeable levels. The higher level is made up of a limestone cliff running along the coast, with a plateau in the centre of the island reaching approximately 60 metres (200 ft) above sea level. The lower level is a coastal terrace approximately 0.5 km (0.3 miles) wide and about 25–27 metres (80–90 feet) high, which slopes down and meets the sea in small cliffs. A coral reef surrounds the island, with the only major break in the reef being in the central western coast, close to the capital, Alofi. Niue is subdivided into 14 villages (municipalities). Each village has a council that elects its chairperson. The villages are at the same time electoral districts; each village sends an assemblyperson to the Niue Assembly (parliament).

Niue is a bilingual country, with 30% of the population speaking both Niuean and English. The percentage of monolingual English-speaking people is 11%, while 46% are monolingual Niuean speakers.

History

Polynesians from Samoa settled Niue around 900 AD. Further settlers arrived from Tonga in the 16th century.

The first Europeans to sight Niue sailed under Captain James Cook in 1774. Cook made three attempts to land, but the inhabitants refused to grant permission to do so. He named the island "Savage Island" because, as legend has it, the natives who "greeted" him were painted in what appeared to be blood. The substance on their teeth was hulahula, a native red fe'i banana. For the next couple of centuries, Niue was known as Savage Island until its original name, "Niue", which translates as "behold the coconut", regained use.

In 1889, the chiefs and rulers of Niue, in a letter to Queen Victoria, asked her "to stretch out towards us your mighty hand, that Niue may hide herself in it and be safe". After expressing anxiety lest some other nation should take possession of the island, the letter continued: "We leave it with you to do as seems best to you. If you send the flag of Britain that is well; or if you send a Commissioner to reside among us, that will be well". The British did not initially take up the offer. In 1900 a petition by the Cook Islanders asking for annexation included Niue "if possible". In a document dated 19 October 1900, the "King" and Chiefs of Niue consented to "Queen Victoria taking possession of this island". A despatch to the Secretary of State for the Colonies from the Governor of New Zealand referred to the views expressed by the Chiefs in favour of "annexation" and to this document as "the deed of cession". A British Protectorate was declared, but it remained short-lived. Niue was brought within the boundaries of New Zealand on 11 June 1901 by the same Order and Proclamation as the Cook Islands. The Order limited the islands to which it related by reference to an area in the Pacific described by co-ordinates, and Niue, at 19.02 S., 169.55 W, lies within that area. It sounds like it will be an interesting island to visit to compare with the other Polynesian islands.

We enjoyed lunch of cheese and bread, coleslaw and salad. Sean and I were on watch and I gave him and Erica a guide as to how to make a loaf of bread. This involved mixing in the ingredients and having two proving’s (kneading) before cooking in the oven. It came out well and I hope they will try to make one themselves.

As the afternoon wore on the sky got a little greyer and the wind was pushing us a little south. I am hoping we will not have to gybe again as the wind is supposed to move toward southeast as we approach. The plan is still to arrive early on  the 9th provided the wind holds up. The sea state is still 3 meters plus and rolls us from time to time.

When you get quite close on a long passage the last day or so starts to drag as you want to get there. The shifts make you a little tired and you long for a decent night’s sleep at normal hours. The thing is we still have two nights and a day at least to go and we just have to get on with it. As I write this blog we still have 248 nm to go.

Sean served his chicken curry with rice and red cabbage which was good. The crew are in good spirits and are looking forward to arriving at Niue and exploring this unusual island.

The picture of the day is the sea state which we have seen really from day 1.

Opportunity Year Two

In year two I will be going from New Zealand in early January 2025 across to Sydney and up the Eastern Australian Coast, Indonesia and then through Bali, Singapore and on to Thailand to end year two about the end of November 2025. I will need some more crew.

If there is any interest do email me at  hine.nick9@gmail.com  

The blog will continue as we move through French Polynesia and beyond. If you have any comments or suggestions about the blog then do email me on hine.nick9@gmail.com